Best Impreza Colin McRae Edition review - title-winning Group A Subaru lives again | evo REVIEWS

Is it possible to capture a true feeling of motorsport nostalgia? Best Engineering, an Italian firm run by Carlo Boroli, has set about building the ultimate continuation to Colin McRae's championship-winning Subaru Impreza Turbo 555 Group A rally car to find out, and we've been driving it.
Deputy Editor Adam Towler - himself an avid period rally fan of this era - met up with Best Engineering to experience this most adrenalin-pumping of nostalgia trips for himself, with Carlo bringing a real 555 along too, just for fun.
To read Adam's experience of rally royalty, and the stunning continuation built in its image, you can grab its featured issue (evo 300) from www.evo-shop.co.uk now, and while you're at it subscribe from anywhere in the world to help us keep bringing these exhilarating experiences to life on video.
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#rally #rallycar #subaru #subaruusa #subaruimprezawrx #groupa #worldrallychampionship #worldrally #colinmcrae

[@thedrivefields]

The late 90's and early 2000's were by far the best years of the WRC! That's why cars like this legendary Subaru always stay in our memories.

[@boysofwexford]

That car was gone by 1996... Hardly late 90s?

[@pokinacha]

Late 80s through to around 2000 were the glory days of Motorsport in general. Super Tourers, F1, WRC, ATCC.

[@thehwguy4293]

@@pokinacha hell, even NASCAR.

[@paulaus]

I'm not old enough to have seen Group A live. Rally Australia started proper in 1989 so Group A cars then WRC will always be my favourites along with those drivers. Then TOCA Touring Cars was huge on the PlayStation. It was a Golden Era for motorsports fans.

[@LeadFarmer1597]

You're just going to forget about Group B completely!?

[@HollieMcRae]

What a brilliant tribute to the legend of the 555 and to the hard work of Carlo and the Best Impreza team! Thank you EVO

[@danieleklemen3834]

It's AWESOME to read you comments here.. immense respect.. Thank you Hollie

[@DespaceMan]

I'm so glad I keep my GC8 & never sold it, currently resting in my shed waiting to hit the tarmac again once the S207 engine gets installed one of these days. Great vid guys it put a smile on my face that will last for days 😁😁

[@tbtstt]

Fantastic video to support an excellent article. The P25 has the looks, but this is so, so, much cooler. Love the drive behind it and the final product is incredible.

[@andrewclarke2529]

I love this so much more. It’s just so raw!

[@tbtstt]

@@andrewclarke2529 Just listened to the Rally DNA podcast with Carlo. The guy is every bit the rally fan I hoped he would be, gives me even more respect for this build and what he has produced.

[@sk8ingkickers]

It’s watching videos like this and hearing the enthusiasm from the reviewers that remind me why I still have an ‘05 WRX in my driveway.

[@StephenHughes-hx4ew]

I'd love go in one of them subaru cars amazing

[@giuniral]

That's the kind of content that sets standards. Simply beautifully done.

[@kwakka636]

That distinctive flat 4 unequal length manifold sound was the reason I bought a 1999 Impreza back in the day

[@SubieFrancis]

What an amazing video. Have been a Subaru enthusiast since I was 5 and bought my first scooby at 19. I also aim to have a garage full of scoobys from the greatest era. Currently trying to transform my 06' wrx into a time attack/hill cilmb car. Will document this soon. Absolutey love to see videos like these made by genuine Subaru enthusiasts, they are such amazing, capable drivers cars.

[@georgekerr92]

Nice to see Evo putting out a new video! 👍🏻 Really enjoyed this, nice to have the high quality production mixed with some of the more 'behind the scenes' shots from in car too (drivers comparing notes on feel etc.). It brings the car to life more!

[@WerdnaLiten]

A real dose of nostalgia; a great era for the WRC!! If only the modern WRC was as good.....

[@martijnkosters9024]

Lovely work accompanying a great story in the magazine. Seeing Pierro handing over the car to Adam highlights how difficult it actually is to drive a rally car fast, rally aces make it look so easy but it is hard work.

[@flat4-]

Absolutely amazing, as an Impreza owner for 22 years I cannot wait to have a look at Carlo's garage... Road trip coming up.... Thanks for the video...

[@sebastianbang1138]

The magazine piece on this was amazing. Such a great read and wonderful photos!

[@Egoncalves]

My favourite rally car of all times, monumental article!!! Thank you! 🙏

[@christiaanvanweersch2706]

can you even comprehend how difficult it is to drive and listen to the co driver telling you whats coming next. awesome clip love it

[@ukwan]

My friends dad imported one of the earliest Scooby McRae editions in the UK, I remember going to a shopping centre in the back seat when I was about 11 years old. Absolutely loved it...Always will always have.

[@Aviation_Videos]

Colin is my hero and what got me into Subarus he will always be in my heart

[@01FozzyS]

Beautiful work by Best! Nothing like keeping Colin's name alive!

[@lambrosstamos4494]

Wonderful. Subaru Group A revival. Not only this but the Prodrive P25, too. Just wonderful.

[@beijingbond]

What a great piece this is....one of the best EVO videos.And those cars!! Wow! I want.

[@BataLeonOnline]

Lovely insight from a racing legend as he was able to compare. Nice to see both cars driven hard 👍🏼

[@corradop]

I'm Italian and ok we have 100 defects, many are stereotypes, but when it comes to engines and passion, we are the best in the world.Great video and fantastic car.

[@frankz5864]

You’re also the best at making a car sound and feel amazing to a driver. You could make a slow car feel and sound like it’s going 200mph. Only Italian’s and Germans make that intimate connection between car and driver.

[@DespaceMan]

No one is perfect but Italians passion for cars are at the same levels as any others of the best, just keep the fire going & make dreams come true.

[@PecaSX]

This is why we love you evo. And fair play Adam for having a proper go.

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

Great to see these imprezas being driven again.

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

Carlo Boroli has done a super job. A few more nerdy details would be nice but this was a very good review. Thank you Evo / Adam Towler.

[@johnsutherland3405]

What a car why would anyone buy a p25 this is what it’s all about fantastic machine great job

[@martinmees878]

Brilliant stuff. Thank you Evo

[@DMcTyke]

Thanks EVO for this super video, Colin's championship win in '95 was such an inspiration. Great to see enthusiasts keeping the spirit alive. Please use a decent camera next time for the onboard footage - the one you had didn't cope well with the contrast between interior/exterior light levels ;-)

[@aaront4494]

This is great. It is awesome to see the old car. And as others have said it is great to see them being driven. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@lusqueta26dett51]

oh my god this car is amazing, i don't understand why this video doesn't have 1 billion views

[@paulkearney4565]

Fantastic. I own the Grist 22b Prototype and saw Carlos at San Marino and Knockhill, love what he's doing and one day will hopefully get one of his McRae specials.. pk

[@christophermisiano5769]

I can't stop watching this.

[@albegt98]

thanks for the great video 👍, great car, I had a 1998 road 555 series here in Switzerland 💪😍

[@kevinoshaughnessy2752]

Absolutely brilliant video lads we’ll done amazing machine 👍🏻

[@ejicon3099]

Beautiful. Between the Colin McRae Edition and Prodrive's 25 P25's that sold out quickly, people are itching for these vintage cars and are showing their interests with their wallets. Let's keep on going with this. YAH!

[@paultrueman6700]

Awesome,we need more Evo videos 😁

[@khsmith6242]

Carlo, thank you from the 1000’s of Scottish rally fans who for us Colin is idolised as one Scotlands most important sons. Love to Italy from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Bergie_78]

Have you come back to Earth yet Adam? Great work, what an experience!

[@Blamejames78]

My favourite car ever. It first came about just as I’d left school and passed my text. I always wanted either 22B, R type, P1. But just any of the series 1, face lift, about P reg

[@ewanstewart8011]

Fantastic car and video 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@davidnevitt9151]

What a beautiful homage to the all mighty McRae!!

[@joe5boost]

great vid and cars thanks for sharing

[@farmerlamb2372]

Liatti was and still is a Mistro on tarmac, millilitre perfect, small blips of the throttle as he glided from corner to corner back in the 90s

[@lornecunningham326]

What a beast, absolutely love it 👍

[@antwerpseven]

absolutely beautiful video

[@Kevin-tl7ik]

This video is a love letter 💙

[@rallymouse1]

Congrats to Mr.Boroli great job, great effort. As he said Gr.A era is the best years of rallying. Because you can buy an actual road going versions from the dealer. Thats why we all fell in love rallying late 80's because it is possible to buy standart road going version. Because our cars represented on the WRC stages. This makes you feel like you are owning mostly identical car on stages. Now the cars faster, tecnological etc. but the soul is missing. The are purpose built rally cars, not our cars anymore.

[@alemultijet]

Grande auto e grande Piero. Fantastiche le WRC di quegli anni

[@jamesrichards5601]

This is fantastic, I'd have one of these of a P25 in a heartbeat.

[@bla855]

Impreza of this shape is just MAGIC

[@Darkseb22t]

So lucky to drive with such an icône on asphalt,he was the best of is time with Gilles

[@kokopit41]

Fascinating!

[@Nick2126]

Thank you for this amazing video ❤️🔰🇬🇪✊

[@dct1]

That was good! I was fortunate enough to see the car at Knockhill.

[@whosyourmate8292]

Just, WOW.

[@robertmckinney8143]

legendary!!!!

[@kotarojujo2737]

now we need Evo reviewing Evo

[@lesflynn4455]

It's so cool that there a people out there doing this stuff. Over 2 seconds a km quicker is quite a thing.

[@ivangc8]

Increïble 💙

[@ducedevlstear2471]

That restaurant and others in that region seem to have amazing food. I have to stop by sometime.

[@carlpro14]

The transmission sounds, The sounds this car made.. My god!

[@luisrosmaninho1948]

Tive um w r x de 2003 e era muito bom no piso molhado.

[@alexharkettsimracing]

What a video. 👏🏻

[@Scoots1994]

I haven't driven the homage, but I drove cars like it back when it was racing. I've never driven a more mechanically visceral and connected car before or since. Some of the Lancia's felt similar. I've driven faster and more violent cars but they were less special than the Subaru. Damn, now I want one. Again.

[@kirkblackadar7299]

Really well said! I agree completely, I have a few first gen imprezas and I have never had a more visceral driving experience. This is a special chasis for sure, and people go crazy to see a clean first gen impreza now.

[@Flatmat]

I’ve just done a GC8 full restoration and I’m super happy. Such a fun car. Sadly the whole generation is completely rusting away.

[@frankz5864]

I wouldn’t say that, There are plenty of places that don’t have snow and salt. Also, people are finally starting to see these types of car for the special things they are.

[@herb414]

I have a GG as a daily and yes indeed, the rust is real. If they aren’t rusting away they are being crashed or totaled.

[@desb9639]

I had a MY2000 GC8 ten years ago, it was rotting then. It was a low mileage example too and was totally reliable but rust was becoming a problem.

[@krupadrum]

Love, and drive Subaru 😎💪👍

[@TheRenaissanceGuys]

That sound is something else..

[@royd72]

That was incredible 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 P25 my arse, I’ll take this and keep the change 💙💛

[@bingoberra18]

You dont want to drive this to get milk, apples and pears :)

[@alistairwhite2906]

@@bingoberra18 sure you would, just take the long way.......

[@TosinSalisu]

This is epic!

[@13geeky]

Thank you for this, hate that I just found this

[@alechall7082]

Great intro

[@petergracemeguide1280]

One will always be in awe of a true rally legend driving full tilt, and your somewhere in a forest or side of the road. For me it's Possum Bourne . Then others come along adding to the privilege. And then there are the cars. My youngest son has a picture standing next to one of these McRae beasts . He didn't know why. But lives it now. When that driver came into the rest stage I stated now theirs a sound I haven't heard for many years. He fobbed me off , but as I poored over the car I changed his initial thoughts I used to have a ex factory group N BC5 legacy RS type r loaded with prodrive bits. I miss that car. But I have own the competitors st165 GT4, and Vr4 . I still have her galants , rx7s and 12/94 WRX hatch back in flamy red. I will have another Legacy RS

[@flatboxer]

Subaru Impreza are one of favorite car in all world

[@aaronredbaron]

Sheesh, making Prodrive look bad! Love the Impreza coupe but I would take this over the P25 any day of the week!

[@ObsesifAdam]

Vaow, absolutely amazing video :) Missed this great car :) It sounds great. Bytheway, can you give the name of the music played at 0:14 . Thanks for sharing this video :)

[@mladen24]

555=💙💙💙

[@343_GuiltySpark]

Native 21:9 video??? Hell yes this look amazing on my 21:9 display!

[@G4Disco]

I'd love to do this with the Legacy RS.

[@paloherc8213]

the coolest impreza from my point of view, 555 is first thing which I imagine if somebody mentions Subaru.

[@si5567]

WRC legend machine 555👍

[@johnrowell942]

Love to own one of these scoobys.

[@SixthyGTi]

Price tag seems about right... 😁 Love to see an old timer still has it (both the car and the driver)... 😁

[@muhamadirfaan3329]

One thing that makes it iconic to me its the transmission whine. Sounds like a mid pitch terradactyl

[@v9photoworks700]

You can keep your Prodrive P25, this is where my lottery win would go!

[@BurtSampson]

Fuggg, that sound in the intro.

[@gountzas]

Top Gear needs to interview Richards and Lapworth if they wanna get all the little details about McRae

[@0836whimper]

Epic

[@Valejola]

I am lucky...they stay in my town and i ofthen see that sweety! 10 years ago i was owner Impreza too...a fantastic old gc8. I had to sell it to got cash 😮‍💨

[@fordbong]

Those were the days.

[@geertterharmsel]

nice!

[@jfishcake]

I'm here for the Series McRae by Prodrive Impreza

[@kemurikusari9629]

im in the process of restomodding my 1998 sti type r v4 and its really difficult to get it to handle like that aggressive but precise at the same time. in stock form it actually feels kinda dull but also nervous the front end gets alot of bumpsteer while turning in doesnt give a nice feedback in the steering wheel but also you cant feel what the rear does that much. its maybe complaining on a high level but thats what limits me to go to the limits of the car aswell because you cant build trust that well. now i have changed the suspension, all the bushing to sti group n, all steering components new, shorter ratio steering rack, tubframe subframes with geometrie correction and solig mounting points to the chassie (oem had bushings in them)and a more aggressive alignment. it helped but also came with throwbacks like the bumpsteer got even worse and also it feels nervous on a rough road similar how the group a car behaved but atleast it gave some feedback into the driver seat. next up will be a set of nankang ar1 and slighty wider wheels so the track gets wider. i whish at some point my impreza handles and feels like the mcrae edition :)

[@lutherblissett9070]

You may find raising your steering rack cures the bump steer, although steering arm and suspension arm need to sweep through the same arc.

[@user-ig8ee7zf8f]

❤️🇯🇵 Subaru

[@natifgwada]

🔥🔥🔥🔥👍🏼

[@40rdy]

Lump in my throat watching these awesome awe inspiring machines if only Colin could see . Very proud to own my 1993 Impreza wrx as I have all be it tiny taste of what these boys had . 😎

[@mc1996]

This is pure Rally romance. This is what evolution should be used for, not to make cars bigger, heavier, faster than needed

[@ObsesifAdam]

I would like to meet with Carlo :) He is more fanatical than me :)

[@jamiemiller7752]

I'd have this over a P25 any day!

[@cheesepizza87]

This is better than the pro drive car Imo

[@simonjcelliot]

I loved rallying up until the early 2000s then the cars got too far from their road going versions… the cars after that got more and more spaceshippy.. I went to stages in early 90s to mid 90s for rac when it came close to Scotland..